To Deal or Not to Deal (1 Viewer)

[Keg]

I am not looking for advice but will be using my team as an example.

I am as active a trader as you will find in a league(28 trades in one of my IDP Dynasty leagues last yr)

There used to be times where I would get the urge to make a deal just for the sake of making a deal...believe it or not none of those 28 deals were urge deals...but when do you look and say i need to see this team in action...or do you never truly hit nirvana and always have to tinker?

as an example the team below(16 team league) is one that I look at and think do I deal or stand pat...right now I am contemplating either trading Jamar Williams OR Trading for OKWO...

Brees, Simms Garcia

Caddy, Fargas

Chad Johnson, Plax, Randel El, SinMoss, AChatman

HMiller, Scaife

Kaeding, Scobee

Jared Allen, Osi, DWhite, Stroud, Pickett

KBulluck, Crowell, CGreenway, Cooper,Wilhelm

Adrian Wilson, CHope, Demps, MikeLewis,Cedrick Griffin

DTS:

JCampbell, Croyle, Clemens

RBush, Adrian Peterson(Minn), ABradshaw

VJax, DHagan, DBowe, JWebb, Demitrius Williams

Jamal Anderson

POZ,Gaither, Hodge AWaters, Nicholas, Jamar Williams

We can start 1-3RBs and 2-4WRs so I have some flexibility there

On defense we can start 2-3DL, 2-3LBs and 2-3DBs(8 starters)

I look at this team and see that I could use an upgrade at TE(antonio gates is an RFA next yr), wouldnt mind seeing another solid vet WR...but I do like my depth and I have been building this team to win now as well as for the long term...there are times I am ready to deal a bunch of depth to land a marquee type name and then I waiver and decide to stand pat...so when do you know you need to either Deal or Stand Pat? Have you ever had a Nirvana like roster?

 

[Tick]

What's a DTS? If you can't use those players this year, you're in serious trouble at R/W.

And yes, I've run into this before. I've got a team I really like right now, but I've been tinkering anyway. I'm not sure the moves have been good, but I think they have been.

For me, there are three types of trades to make:

1. I want a specific player, and I pay what I have to in order to get him.

2. There's a good fit between teams - he needs RB depth and has a stud, I have RB depth and need a stud... or he needs WRs and I need RBs.

3. I'm trying to get rid of guys whose value is at a maximum and get guys whose value is at a minimum.

When you don't have needs, #2 doesn't happen much. #3 is always worth considering or pursuing, but you have to be careful there that you don't deal away a championship for the future. #1 is always dangerous and one I try to avoid, though I did one this offseason (going hard after Betts after acquiring Portis).

I guess in summary, you have to look at each deal individually instead of using a blanket statement that you won't trade at all.

 

[Keg]

What's a DTS? If you can't use those players this year, you're in serious trouble at R/W.

DTS=Developmental Taxi Squad...its a contract dynasty league and every year we have an 8 round rookie draft...during the season the DTS can be a max of 12 players and they can only stay on your DTS for 3yrs then they have to be activated and given a contract or cut or dealt away for someone else to deal with...and the 3yrs is a strict number if i have Bush on my DTS for 2yrs and deal him to you then he can only stay on the DTS for 1 more year...and like you if there is a guy i really want I have no problem going after him and paying whatever it takes...unfortunately that meant giving up a 2nd rounder(different league) for Ricky Williams(had just agreed to a deal for Ronnie Brown)

 

[Rovers]

The best trades I ever made were the ones I didn't make. I like two kinds of trades.... when I can trade 2nd and third tier players for a one, and when I have a hole to fill on a contending roster. There is a third type.... that is the rebuild trade, which is sort of a different issue.

Some owners just don't seem able to have a plan and execute it. They deviate from whatever plan they may have had, and as result never do build up a solid roster. If I sound like I have a bias against trading... I do, sort of. I see people tinker a roster into perenial also rans, and other owners who are always looking over the next hill, for that rookie who might be a stud some day, but they seem to lack the patience for young players to develop. I call that "stationary bicycle trading". Lots of movement, but no forward progress. It's like some sort of permanent rebuild syndrome.

That doesn't mean I won't make a trade for a young player that I like more than others might, but I do resist the urge to tinker too much. I got Gaither via FA before last season... and I will hold. Some others, like Brandon Jones I gave up on. I won't overpay for a one year wonder like Colston.... sure, he had a great year, but we've seen that before... I took that worm on a guy named Clayton a couple years ago.

I tend to use the draft more than trades to build my rosters. I am also willing to part with picks for proven players, know quantities that can be counted on.... how many of the touted WR's in this past draft will bust? History says about half of them.

Keg, you are something of a trade addict. You said you might look to trade one player, OR pick up another.... how does this fit with whatever plan you have in place? It doesn't seem to be a part of any plan... like sacraficing a bishop for a bishop without a plan to corner the queen. Each league I am in has about 4 trade addicts out of 16 owners. They seem to trade for the sake of trading. I always have to ask if any trade will make my team better and stay within the plan I've designed for a given roster. Most often, trade offers fall far short of that criteria.

 

[-OZ-]

I never "won't deal", but there does come a point where no major deals may be done. Right now, I'm in a position in my main league where I don't want to make any significant moves, I know a couple can be made (upgrade from Shockey to Gates, VY/Ben to Peyton, Boldin/Walker to Chad Johnson, etc.) but at what cost? I'm finally at a point where I have quality depth and players throughout that I feel very comfortable starting.

BUT this is after accomplishing my goal. I went into the off season with one true need, of improving my LBs (went from Vilma, Howard, Landon Johnson, and Ian Gold to Urlacher, Bulluck, Merrimen and Brooking). I made other moves, based on personal preference and how the players fit with my team.

In short, I worked my plan, as Rovers would say.

 

[lord_helmet]

I have a pretty simple rule of thumb, if I can trade away depth for starters I'm all over it. Then I go back to building depth, once I'm happy I start all over again.

Usually works pretty well pairing depth with picks, I'm in the camp that will go for proven vets whenever I can.